Ice cube releasing device



March 7, 1950 c. R. CARNEY 2,499,902

ICE CUBE RELEASING DEVICE Filed May 14, 1937 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 Nw NN s m n T N N n E O w w A mw n W c m r w a c Nm nu wm.

WITNESS March 7, 1950 c. R. cARNEY 2,499,902

ICE CUBE RELEASING DEVICE Filed May 14, 1957 l 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR ATTORNEYS WITNESS March 7, 1950 c. R. cARNEY ICE CUBE RELEASING DEVICE 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed May 14, 1957 ATTQRNEYS WITNESS March 7, 1950 c. R. CARNEY 2,499,902

ICE CUBE RELEASING DEVICE Filed May 14, 1937 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 e' mwml wn'Ness ATTORNEYS Patented Mar. 7, 1950 ICE CUBE RELEASING DEVICE Clifford R. Carney, Miami, Fla., assigner to Nash- Kelvinator Corporation, Detroit, Mich., a corporation of Maryland Application May 14, 1937, Serial No. 142,687

4 Claims. (Cl. (i2-1085) The invention relates to an ice cube releasing device and more especially to accordion-like action ice cube racks for ice trays for refrigerant machines, such as, refrigerators or the like.

The primary object of the invention is the pro'- vision of a device or rack of this character, where-v in the same is in the form`of a flexible rack for tting within an ice cube tray and is susceptible of accordion-like action for the quick release of the ice cubes frozen within the ice tray thus as` suring the easy removal of the ice cubed rack from the tray and the release of the ice cubes from the rack and thus relieving the usual labor in extracting or freeing the ice cubes from the tray and rack.

Another object of the invention is the provision of a device lof this character, wherein the frozen nested ice cubes can be separated both from the tray and from the rack with dispatch and without the necessity of having the ice melt by the use of warm or cold water as is customary Lfor the freeing of the cubes of ice which ordinarily reduces the size of the ice cubes through melting action of the same.

A further object of the invention is the provision of a device of this character, wherein the rack for the forming of the ice cubes within an ice tray or pan is made up of a plurality of displaceable units, these being connected with each other for accordion action of the rack, the rack being equipped with operating levers at opposite ends thereof which through manual manipulation initially fulcrum upon the tray or pan carrying the rack so as to extract the rack from the latter and subsequently freeing the ice cubes from the said rack with dispatch.

A still further object of the invention is the provision of a device of this character, which is simple in construction, reliable and eicient in operation, novel in its make-up, strong, durable, and inexpensive to manufacture.

With these and other objects in view, the invention consists in the features of construction, combination and arrangement of parts as will be hereinafter more fully described, illustrated in the accompanying drawings which disclose the preferred and modified forms of embodiment of the invention and pointed out in the claims hereunto appended.

In the accompanying drawings:

Figure 1 is a longitudinal sectional view through an ice tray for a refrigerant machine with the device constructed in accordance with the invention within said tray.

Figure 2 is a. view similar to Figure 1 showing the rack lifted from the tray.

Figure 3 is a side elevation of the rack initially iiexed.

Figure 4 is a view similar to Figure 3 showing the rack completely flexed -for the freeing of ice cubes therein.

Figure 5 is a bottom plan view of the device removed from the tray.

Figure 6 is a sectional view on the line 6-6 of Figure 1 looking in the direction of the arrows.

Figure '7 is a perspective view of one of the units of the rack or device.

Figure 8 is a. side view partly in section of a modified form.

Figure 9 is a vertical transverse sectional view,

thereof.

Figure 10 is a perspective view of one of the units of the modified form of device.

Similar reference characters indicate corresponding parts throughout the several views in the drawings. f

Referring to the drawings in detail, particularly Figures 1 to 'I inclusive, A designates generally a portion of an ice cube tray or pan, being conventional in type as employed in refrigerant or ice making machines, such as, refrigerators or the like. Within this tray or pan A is fitted the device B constituting the present invention and hereinafterV fully described.

The device B constitutes an ice cube rack comprising a plurality of intermediate and outer partitioning units III and II, respectively. Each intermediate unit III is formed with spaced parallel vertically disposed upper and lower transverse separator plates or bars I2 and I3, respectively, which are adapted to be arranged transversely of the tray or pan A and are joined in their spaced parallel relation to each other by a central vertically arranged divider web I4 adapted for disposition longitudinally of the tray or pan, thus being at right angles to the said plates or bars I2 and I3. This web I4 is of a depth equal to both the upper and lower plates or bars I2 and I3 while the bar I2 is disposed at the upper portion of said web and at one end thereof while the plate or bar I3 is at the lower portion of said web at the other end thereof, the web I4 being integrally joined with the said plates or bars .I2 and I3 in making up the unit Ill. The end edges of the web I4 next to the plates or bars I2 and I3 are preferably cut into at I5 below the bar or plate I2 and above the bar or plate I3 as at I6, respectively, while these plates or bars I2 and I3 next to the cut areas I5 and I6 of the web are formed 3 with notches I1 opening into the same to provide clearance for connecting links I8, these being in pairs and arranged on opposite sides of the webs I4 of adjacent units Ill.

I'he pairs of links I8 at opposite sides of the webs I4 of the units i6 adjacent to each other are connected to the said webs by pivots I9 so that these units i may readily ilex for accordion-like action with relation to each other. In other words, the units I8 in their linked connection with each other are displaceable one from the other in a longitudinal direction of the rack and also are free for arcuate vertical exing as well as lateral flexing to a limited degree in that the pivots I9 are loosely fitted in the webs I4 of the said units I0.

The units II are formed with outwardly and upwardly rounded or curved lower edges 20 conforming to the curvature of opposite ends 2| of the tray or pan A and each unit I I includes a cross partitioning plate or bar 22 and a central divider web 23, respectively, these being joined with each other or are integral one with the other. The plate or bar 22 on one of the units II is lowermost and normally parallel with relation to the plate or bar I2 next thereto on the unit I0 adjacent the same while the plate or bar 22 on the other unit Il is uppermost and normally parallel with the plate or bar I3 next thereto oh the unit I 0 adjacent to the same. The units II are connected flexibly with the units I0 next thereto by links 24 pivoted at 25.

Swingingly mounted on the webs 23 of the units II at the outermost ends thereof are fulcruming shoes or eccentrics 26 which are pivoted at 21 to said webs 23 while iixed to these shoes or eccentrics are levers 28 for manual manipulation. Connected to the shoes or eccentrics 26 are links 29 having right angular extensions 38 at their innermost ends for pivots 3l which swingingly connect the said links tothe Webs I4 of the units I0 next to the said units I i. The shoes or eccentrics 26 are formed with outer fulcrum toes 32 which are adapted to engage the rim portion 33 at opposite ends 2I of the tray or pan A when the rack is within the latter and the levers 28 are in normal lowered position so that on initial upward and outward swinging of these levers 28 the fulcrum toes 32 engaging the portions 33 of the ends 2| of the tray or pan A effect a bodily lifting of the rack from the tray or pan A.

The links 29 at their outer ends carry pivots 34 which play in elongated slots 35 provided in the shoes or eccentrics 26, these being diagonallydisposed with respect to the plane of the tray or pan when the levers are in normal lowered position and thus through the loose connection of the said links 29 with the shoes or eccentrics which enables a fulcrum action initially of the said shoes or eccentrics upon the tray or pan on the manual swinging of the levers 28 from normal lowered position upwardly in a vertical direction for the bodily lifting of the rack out of the tray or pan.

It will be observed from Figures 1 and 5 of the drawings that the rack when at rest within the tray or pan A will effect the formation of ice cubes therein.

Now when it is desired to remove the frozen content of the tray or pan A and the release of the ice cubes from the rack, assuming that the latter is at rest within the said tray or pan, it is first necessary that the levers 28 be manually pulled upwardly and under this operation the shoes or eccentrics 26 will fulcrum on the ends 2I of the said tray or pan A and thus bodily lift- 4 ing the rack therefrom. breaking the ice cubed rack from the pan or tray. Thereafter on further swinging of the levers 26 after the removal of the rack from the tray or pan, the pivotal connection of the links with the said shoes or eccentrics 26 and the units I6 next to the units II of said rack causes a displacement in a longitudinal direction reversely from opposite ends of the rack of first the units I I from the units Ill next thereto and in sequence these units Il from each other as well as an upward arcuate flexing of the rack and in this manner causing a breaking of the cubes of ice within the rack therefrom and the freeing of such cubes of ice from the said rack.

,By this separation of the units I6 and II in association with the links I8 and 24, respectively, an accordion-like action is set up in the rack whereby a complete and successive separation of the cubes of ice from the rack will take place. The plates or bars I2 and I3 and the webs I6 together with the plates or bars 22 and the webs 23 of these units I0 and Il will effect a knife action on the frozen cubes within the rack and in this manner breaking joinder or adhesion of the cubes to the rack for'quick freeing of the cubes individually and the release thereof in group from the said rack. In this manner considerable labor is avoided and the saving of time had for the releasing or removal of the ice cubes from the ice tray or pan A. In other words, the cube rack can be instantly removed from the tray or pan and the ice cubes instantly freed or removed from the rack on the operation of the levers 28 as before set forth.

In Figures 8 to 10 inclusive of the drawings there is shown a modification of the invention, wherein the units 36 of the rack each having the central web 31 is loosely connected between ears 38 formed with and projecting outwardly in spaced parallel relation to each other from the lower partitioning bars or plates 39 of the said units 36. These ears 38 accommodate upper and lower pivot pins 48 and 4I, respectively, which are passed transversely through the said webs 31, the upper pivot pin 40 being active in an arcuate shaped slot 42 in each web 31 while the lower pivot pin 4I is accommodated in a pivot hole 43 and in this manner the units 36 are displaceably and flexibly linked with each other so that the rack throughout its units 36 lwill have accordionlike action.

Swingingly connected to the outermost units 36 for vertical movement are levers 44, the pivots connecting the same with the said outermost units being indicated at 45 while the outermost ends of these levers form fulcrum toes or terminals 46 for fulcrum action upon opposite ends. of the rtray or pan, the levers being normally in lowered position and on pulling upwardly thereon the rack when within the tray or pan will be lifted therefrom under the fulcrum action of the toes or terminals 46. After removal of the rack from the tray or pan on further outward swinging of the levers 44. the units will be successively flexed with relation to each other in sequence one to the other reversely from opposite ends of the rack in accordion-like action and in this manner the plates or bars 39 will become displaced from normal vertical alignment with each other and thereby breaking contact of the ice cubes within the rack for the freeing of the said cubes therefrom while the webs 31 of the units 36 will effect a shearing action on the adhering cubes of ice within the rack for breaking away the cubes from the rack for easy removal of the ice cubes and discharge thereof from the said rack. The levers u. are normally lowered onto the top of the rack when at rest within the tray or pan. Thus it will be seen that the rack can be readily extracted from the pan after the freezing of ice cubes thereby and also the ice cubes released from the rack with dispatch.

What is claimed is: Y

swinging connection with the outermost units thereof for fulcrum engagement with a tray when accommodating said rack and also for iiexing of the said units in sequence with respect to each other throughout the pairs of the same, means linking the units with each other, and means eccentrically pivoted to the levers and connected 4 to certain of the units for imparting flexing action l. A device of the character described comaccommodating said rack and also for ilexing of the said umts in sequence with respect to each other throughout the pairs of the same, means linking the units with each other, and means eccentrically pivoted to the levers and connected to certain of the units for imparting exing action to the rack on the swinging of the levers.

2. A device of the character described comprising a cube-forming rack including a plurality of loosely connected partitioning units for sequential displacement with respect to each other and free ilexing of said rack, actuating levers arranged at opposite ends of the rack and having swinging connection with the outermost units thereof for fulcrum engagement with a tray when accommodating said rack and also for flexing of the said units in sequence with respect to each other throughout the pairs of the same, means linking the units with each other, and means eccentrically pivoted to the levers and connected to certain of the units for imparting flexing action to the rack on the swinging of the levers, each of said units having a cross partitioning bar and a central divider.

3. A device of the character described comprising 'a cube-forming rack including a plurality of loosely connected partitioning units for sequential displacement with respect to each other and free ilexing of said rack, actuating levers arranged at opposite ends of the rack and having 'to the rack on the swinging of the levers, each of said units having a cross partitioning bar and a central divider, the units being separable both longitudinally and transversely of the rack.

4. A device of the character described comprising a cube-forming rack including a plurality of loosely connected partitioning units for sequential displacement with respect to each other and free flexing of said rack, actuating levers arranged at opposite ends of the rack and having swinging connection with the outermost units thereof for fulcrum engagement with a tray when accommodating said rack and also for flexing of the said units in sequence with respect to each other throughout the pairs of the same, means linking the units with each other, and means eccentrically pivoted to the levers and connected to certain of the units for imparting flexing action to the rack on the swinging of the levers, each of said units having a cross partitioning bar and a central divider, the units being separable both longitudinally and transversely of the rack, the transverse separation of the units being eiected intermediate of the depth of the rack.

CLIFFORD R, CARNEY.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 2,037,520 Anderson Apr. 14, 1936 2,043,881 Buchanan June 9, 1936 2,112,027 Kaufmann Mar. 22, 1938 2,426,515 Lutz Aug. 26, 1947 2,444,789. Reeves July 6, 1948 

